Learning Theories, Models,

and Methods
A GILD Tutorial
Presenter: M.E. Sanseverino
Jan 22, 2003

"Aah, there's nothing more exciting than science. You

get all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing down
numbers, paying attention...yes, science has it all."
Principal Skinner
Tutorial Goals
2. MODELS
1. THEORIES 3. METHODS

4.
SCENARIO

Segue to
Learning Tools

5. LEARNING GOALS
AND ACTIVITIES
1.1 Theories: Behavioural
 Primary Focus  Major Theorists
– Observable behaviour – Thorndike
– Stimulus-response
connections
– Pavlov
 Assumptions – Watson
– Learning is a result of – Skinner
environmental forces
 Subcategories  Principles
– Contiguity
– Time/place pairings
– Respondent (Classical)
– Operant (Instrumental) – Biological basis of
behaviour
– Consequences
– Modelling
2.1 Models: Pavlov’s Dog

From W. Huitt and J. Hummel

http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/edpsyint.html
 1.2 Theories: Cognitive
 Primary Focus
– Mental behaviour  Major Theorists
– Knowledge
– Intelligence
– Bloom
– Critical Thinking – Piaget
 Assumptions
– Learning is a result of mental operations/
– Gagne
processing
 Subcategories
– Information Processing
 Principles
– Hierarchical – Memory is limited
– Developmental
–
– Changes in
Critical Thinking
complexity
– Changes over time
– Good thinking
requires standards
 1.3 Theories: Humanistic
 Primary Focus
– Affect/Values  Major Theorists
– Self-Concept/Self-Esteem
– Rogers
– Needs
 Assumptions – Maslow
– Learning is a result of affect/emotion – N. V. Peale
and goal-orientation
 Subcategories
– Affect
– Motivation/Needs
 Principles
– Self-concept – Individual
– Self-esteem uniqueness
– Self-determination
– Dreams and goals
are vital for success
 1.4 Theories: Social Cognition
 Primary Focus
– Modelling  Major Theorists
– Vicarious Learning
– Attitudes – Bandura
– Goals – Vygotsky
 Assumptions
– Learning is a result of influences of social – Sears
environment on thinking.
 Subcategories
– Observational (Social)  Principles
– Self-efficacy
– Goal-setting
– Reciprocal
– Self-regulation determinism
– Individual
responsibility
3. Methods: Putting theories and models together

Adapted from Romiszowski, 1984

 3.1 Methods: How do you think?
The Block Problem:
 Visualisation

 Draw a picture
 Mathematically

•How did you do it?

•Were you successful on the first or second attempt?
•Did you use more than one strategy?
(ie. Visualise and deduce that blocks have eight corners)
 3.1 Methods: How do you think?
The Sticks Problem:
 Visualising
 Drawing
 Manipulating Objects

If you manipulate objects:

Be aware of how it feels to do solve the problem this way.
Are you carrying on a verbal dialogue (verbalizing)? .
 3.1 Methods: How do you think?
The Who Did It problem:
 In this problem only one statement is true. Determine from the information given who
did it?
 A said, "B did it."
 B said, "D did it."
 C said, "I did not do it."
 D said, "B lied when he said I did it."

 Verbal/Logical solution

Easy to confuse the information statement with the problem statement:

Many learners try to figure out which statement is a true,
rather than which person is guilty.
3.1 Methods: How do you think?
The Who Did It problem continued:
Begin by assuming A is guilty,
determine if it is the case that
only one statement is true, then
assume B is guilty, and so on
until you find that only one
statement is true.
(This method is most common
for those who do solve the
problem, and will result in a
correct answer)
•If you noticed that since only one
statement is true and C says that he
didn't do it, one need only discover
that one of A, B, or D is telling the
truth to establish that C is guilty (if
A, B, or D is true, C is false; thus
C did it). Since B and D contradict
each other, only one of them can
be true. Since we've found one true
statement (it doesn't matter
whether it's B or D), we can
deduce that C did it.
(A more efficient, but often
overlooked strategy).
3.2 Methods: Determining Your Learning Styles
 Principles of Thinking Styles
 ACTIVE AND REFLECTIVE LEARNERS
 How can active learners help themselves?
How can reflective learners help themselves?


 SENSING AND INTUITIVE LEARNERS

 How can sensing learners help themselves?
 How can intuitive learners help themselves?

VISUAL AND VERBAL LEARNERS
 How can visual learners help themselves?
 How can verbal learners help themselves?

SEQUENTIAL AND GLOBAL LEARNERS
 How can sequential learners help themselves?
 How can global learners help themselves?
4.0 Scenario
GOALS WHY ACTIVITY
Explain/understand To put the problem in Students write a program
why repetition is some context. Students without a repetition
comprehend problem. structure. KNOWLEDGE
needed.
Demo/explain To put structures Give a problem. Ask
students to code it in all
different repetition in a more defined repetition types.
structures. context. APPLICATION

Discuss why and when To get the students Give a problem. Ask
one structure might be thinking of these students to select structure
more appropriate structures in terms of and justify choice.
EVALUATION
than another. problem solving.
Have students learn
To develop debugging Have an in-class find and
debugging strategies fix competition. Logical
/logical problem
using repetition as a errors, syntax, and run-
solving strategies. time. ANALYSIS
catalyst.
 Bibliography
 Educational Psychology Interactive
<http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/index.html>
Valdosta State University, Georgia, USA.
Recommended for GILD members
 Looking at Carl Rogers (Humanistic Theory)
<http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/~ANDERSMD/ROGERS/ROGERS.
HTML>
 Learning to Learn
<http://www.ldrc.ca/projects/atutor/login.php>
Recommended for GILD members
 The Next Step Teacher Education
<http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/teachereduc/indexTE.html>
 Theory into Practice: TIP
<http://tip.psychology.org/>
 Resources in Science and Engineering Education
<http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/>
Recommended for GILD members
 Bibliography cont.
 How People Learn, Expanded Edition.2000. John Bransford et al
Full book online at
<http://books.nap.edu/books/0309070368/html/index.html>
Recommended for GILD members -- if you can only fit in one
item on learning, make it this book. It blends theory and
practice into a very readable, useable resource.
 Funderstanding: educational products for kids.
<http://www.funderstanding.com/engaging_kids.cfm>
 Great Expectations: Leveraging America's Investment in
Educational Technology
<http://www.benton.org/e-rate/execsummary.html>
 Integrating Technology in Learning and Teaching. Pat Maier and
Adam Warren. Kogan Page Limited, London, UK. 2000.